Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Victorian Illustration: "A Fainting Fit"

This time in our series on Thackeray's "The Virginians," we feature a fun subject with a very old fashioned meaning.
The girl in the foreground has just passed out. Two of her elders guard her and seek her revival. The viewer can only wonder what will become of her, or what caused her to be so distressed she might "faint dead away" as the old books often tell us.
I suppose the days of corsets saw many such scenes. While they make everyone's waist look trimmer, I'm rather glad we may reminisce without the discomfort of such equipment keeping us from moving in a natural way, aren't you? ;)
As usual, we offer our readers both the old and refreshed looks.
Hope you'll enjoy this one as much as we do.
Happy Creativity!
Rose


From Thackeray:"A Fainting Fit"

Black & White
Downloadable Version HERE



Original Look
Downloadable Version HERE




Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives
Free for Public Domain use


6 comments:

Art From The heart said...

Really unique. I saw a fainting couch recently in an antique shop.
No wonder with those corsets they wore.
Thanks for sharing, Hugs

Plush Possum Studio said...

Ah! A fainting couch! I've always wished for one of those!!!!!
;)

Ann said...

wonderful image!!! thanks so much!!!
I have heard and read abut fainting couches..how convenient to faint right where your couch is!!
my mom had something that looked like a "fainting couch"..a chaise she called it!! it was in her bedroom.
xo

Plush Possum Studio said...

Ann: So glad you like this one!
I bought a midcentury chaise a few years back. While I do enjoy it and it is unusual enough to keep me interested with it, it still is definitely NOT the sort of spot onto which any lady may faint.
She'd be likely to get the second arm in her one shoulder blade! LOL
;)

pchickki said...

Oh yes indeed! I would hate to have to wear those tight things.
That was the main cause of the vapors!! Ha ha!
Hugs to you

Plush Possum Studio said...

pchickki: One of us had to--more than once. And when it was finally time her corset could be removed, there was a ton of relief! LOL No vapors, but talk about feeling held back!
Just imagine--they even had to SWIM wearing one of those things!!!
Glad we don't have them anymore except for dressing up!
;)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...